Clear skies provided a near-perfect Alpine skiing Christmas but gathering cloud brought light snow to many resorts yesterday. The eastern US received up to 15cm of new snow. Canadian Whistler had 50cm of new snow. Banff also has excellent skiing. Mild wet conditions have stripped Scottish slopes of much of their snow. Skiing was further limited by ensuing storms, reports the Ski Club of Great Britain.

Up to 10cm of new snow fell in French Chamonix (167-310cm), greatly enhancing upper slopes. Further south, Alpine Isola (30-70cm) and Pyrenean Font Romeu (40-40cm) have remained sunny with no new snowfall.

Resorts in Austrian Lech, Zuers and St Anton (110-190cm) had 5cm of new snow yesterday with more due in the Arlberg. Mayrhofen (10-50cm) had a healthy 20cm of fresh snow.

Italian Val Senales (20-70cm) had 22cm of new snow before Christmas and has 61cm forecast this week. Heavy snowfalls have dramatically improved snow cover, in Swiss Crans Montana (110-270cm) and Engelberg (40-257cm).

Yesterday's Alpine snowfall is forecast to continue today, becoming heavier throughout the weekend and well into the New Year. Austria's Pitztal, Soelden and Kaunertal have more. The latter should have 80cm of new snow by 6 January. The French Pyrenees will remain sunny, with no new snow. There will be new snow on Scottland's slopes but temperatures will rise next week.